Middletown Arts Center

The Middletown Arts Center, in conjunction with Dunbar Repertory Company, presents a special production of August Wilson’s Seven Guitars, directed by Mark Antonio Henderson, running May 23–31, 2026. Set in 1940s Pittsburgh, Seven Guitars follows a blues musician chasing redemption and a second chance as love, ambition, and fate collide in August Wilson’s powerful portrait of dreams deferred. 
SHOW DATES FOR SEVEN GUITARS
Saturday, May 23 at 3 + 8 p.m.&nbsp; |&nbsp; Sunday, May 24 at 4 p.m.
Saturday, May 30 at 3 + 8 p.m.&nbsp; |&nbsp; Sunday, May 31 at 4 p.m. 
Ticket prices are $22 for general admission. Discounted tickets at $17 are available for the Opening Performance (Saturday, May 23 at 3 p.m.), the Closing Performance (Sunday, May 31 at 4 p.m.), and group sales of 10 or more. Purchase tickets online at middletownarts.org or call the MAC Box Office at 732.706.4100.
The Middletown Arts Center is located at 36 Church Street in Middletown, NJ (next to the Middletown train station). Free parking is available onsite with additional free parking available in station metered lot on weekday evenings after 6 p.m. and on weekends.
ABOUT SEVEN GUITARS
Seven Guitars is a play by August Wilson set in Pittsburgh’s Hill District in 1948, centered on the life and struggles of the African American community. The story begins shortly after the funeral of Floyd Barton, a musician whose dreams of success are complicated by hardship and ultimately lead to his tragic fate.
Through present-day scenes and flashbacks, the play reveals Floyd’s relationships—particularly with Vera, his partner, and Hedley, a mystic grappling with illness. The characters engage in deeply human conversations that reflect their realities, exploring themes of community, aspiration, and the impact of systemic oppression.
Seven Guitars is part of Wilson’s ten-play cycle chronicling the African American experience throughout the 20th century. The work explores identity, loss, and the complexity of dreams, standing as a significant piece in American theater. 
CAST &amp; CREATIVE TEAM
Dunbar Repertory Company’s production features James Saunders (Canewell), Mike Vails (Red Carter), Dana P. Hawkins (Vera Dotson), Chantal Lentz (Vera Dotson/Understudy), Vivette Alston (Louise), Arthur Gregory Pugh (Hedley), Kirk Lambert (Floyd “Schoolboy” Barton), and Brandi McLeain (Ruby).
Production Stage Manager: Stephanie Schoppe 
Assistant Stage Manager: Andrea Jimenez
ABOUT AUGUST WILSON
	“No one except perhaps Eugene O’Neill or Tennessee Williams has aimed so high and 
	 achieved so much in the American theater.”&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; – John Lahr, The New Yorker
August Wilson (1945 – 2005) was a Pulitzer-prize-winning playwright known for chronicling the experiences of Black Americans during the 20th century. First, through poetry and then through plays, Wilson captured the character and experiences of the African American community, particularly the community of his native Pittsburgh. He is best known for a series of ten plays collectively called The American Century Cycle or The Pittsburgh Cycle which include, Jitney (1982), Fences (1984), Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (1984), Joe Turner’s Come and Gone (1986), The Piano Lesson (1987) and King Hedley II (1999). Wilson received the Pulitzer Prize for Drama for Fences and The Piano Lesson, and earned nine Tony Award nominations, 
winning Best Play for 1987 for Fences. All of his plays have received the New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Play.
In 2006, Wilson was inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame. He was a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the American Academy of Arts and Letters, the recipient of Rockefeller and Guggenheim Fellowships, the Whiting Writers Award, the 1999 National Humanities Medal awarded by the President and numerous honorary degrees. 
One of contemporary theater’s most distinguished and eloquent voices, August Wilson wrote not about historical events or the pathologies of the black community, but, as he said, about “the unique particulars of black culture…I wanted to place this culture onstage in all its richness and fullness and to demonstrate its ability to sustain us…through profound moments in our history in which the larger society has thought less of us than we have thought of ourselves.”
ABOUT THE DUNBAR REPERTORY COMPANY
Known to residents of Central New Jersey as “Monmouth County’s African American Theater Company”, Dunbar Repertory Company is committed to its mission of perpetuating an appreciation of cultural diversity and celebrating African American culture through LIVE literary readings, main stage theatrical productions, education programs and services.

Local Event: Seven Guitars by August Wilson

Monmouth County

Middletown

New Jersey

Seven Guitars by August Wilson

The Middletown Arts Center, in conjunction with Dunbar Repertory Company, presents a special production of August Wilson’s...

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Pilgrim Baptist Church

Join the 18+ community choir that ONLY sings rock music! No auditions! Summer season starts Monday, May 25, 7pm, at Pilgrim Baptist Church in Red Bank, NJ. This summer our theme is “Music From the Movies”, including Footloose, Grease, Mamma Mia, Dirty Dancing, James Bond, Hair, and many more.&nbsp;Come try it out risk-free! Find your voice. Feed your spirit. Make new friends. For more information, visit our website RockVoices.com

Local Event: Join Rock Voices, the community choir that ONLY sings rock music!

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Join the 18+ community choir that ONLY sings rock music! No auditions! Summer season starts Monday, May 25, 7pm, at Pilgrim...

Join Rock Voices, the community choir that ONLY sings rock music!

St George's By the River

St. George’s-by-the-River Episcopal Church is excited to host its 78th Annual Canterbury Fair—rain or shine—on Saturday, June 6th from 8:00 AM–3:00 PM.
Early Access for Early Bird Shoppers Get in before the crowds from 8:00–9:30 AM for a $10 entry fee. The fair opens free to all at 9:30 AM!
Fun for Kids &amp; Families Our expanded Canterbury Kids section is bigger and better than ever, perfect for keeping kids entertained all day long.
New &amp; Exciting for 2026:
<ul><li>Dance Party Dome Bounce House</li><li>Virtual Reality Experience</li><li>Rock Climbing Wall</li><li>Pickleball</li><li>Mini Golf …and more!</li></ul>
$25 all-day wristband for unlimited games, with $5 tickets available for Rock Climbing &amp; VR experiences.
Shop, Discover &amp; Enjoy Browse what many call the best White Elephant Marketplace this side of the river, plus:
<ul><li>Garden items 🌿</li><li>Jewelry 💎</li><li>Unique treasures &amp; finds</li></ul>
&nbsp;Food for Every Taste From baked goods and tea to burgers and more—come hungry! Plus, enjoy a specialty coffee vendor serving up your favorite handcrafted drinks.
Easy &amp; Free Parking Take advantage of our free shuttle service starting at 7:30 AM from Holy Cross Church (free parking) to the fair and back.
Giving Back All proceeds support St. George’s ministries and outreach partners.Learn more: <a href="https://www.stgeorgesrumson.org/78thcanterburyfair" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">stgeorgesrumson.org/78thcanterburyfair</a>

Local Event: 78th Canterbury Fair 

78th Canterbury Fair 

St. George’s-by-the-River Episcopal Church is excited to host its 78th Annual Canterbury Fair—rain or shine—on Saturday, June...

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SAVE THE DATE!   Garden Club RFD annual Rummage Sale at the  Little Red Schoolhouse. 

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Posting Activity

Seven Guitars by August Wilson

MAY

23

8:00 PM

Middletown Arts Center, 36 Church St, Middletown Township, NJ

Seven Guitars by August Wilson

MAY

24

4:00 PM

Middletown Arts Center, 36 Church St, Middletown Township, NJ

Seven Guitars by August Wilson

MAY

30

8:00 PM

Middletown Arts Center, 36 Church St, Middletown Township, NJ

Seven Guitars by August Wilson

MAY

31

4:00 PM

Middletown Arts Center, 36 Church St, Middletown Township, NJ

Join Rock Voices, the community choir that ONLY sings rock music!

78th Canterbury Fair

Rummage Sale Garden Club RFD